My cup works well for me, I can get 12 hours out of it without overflow leaks, and other leaks only happen when it ends up squished next to my cervix instead of around it (at least I think that’s the issue). Removal is not painful for me, but there is a bit of a tugging sensation (indicating suction). This would not bother me except now I’m worried about how that could effect an IUD, and I’m a little worried that I’ve been pulling my cervix lower over the last 8 months. I’ve been told not to worry about pulling on the cervix, but it still seems plausible that this could be bad.

Everybody talks about breaking the seal as you remove the cup, and that prevents suction. And I thought I knew what that meant but now I’m not sure. Usually to remove, I grip the stem with my nails and pull it down gently until the base is in reach and then I’ll pinch the base and pull it farther, folding it a little before removing the rim. The issue is, the actual “seal” doesn’t break until the “folding it a little” part, when the cup is already half way out of me, and that’s when a hear the sound of a little air rushing into it. I’ve read some people say they insert one finger all the way up to the rim and push it inwards, but when I tried that, I could tell that me cervix was in the cup. So if my dangly cervix extends a few cm into the cup, then I can’t break the seal that way, I just end up squishing the cervix and not accomplishing anything. So even if I’m able to break the seal a little earlier than I have been doing, I’ll still be getting suction and pulling on my cervix. This is concerning to me for two reasons. First, I’m trying to get an IUD next month, and I’ve heard a lot about how it’s just fine to use a menstrual cup with an IUD… as long as you break the seal before removal! Second, I’m worried because I didn’t know until recently that I had a dangly cervix, and I don’t know for sure that it’s always been this way. I checked a few times in the past and never found it, though never on my period, and often while I was aroused, which can make the cervix higher. But now I’m about a week away from my period starting and my cervix is within reach, I’m just a little afraid that it didn’t used to be that way, although I can’t be sure. So I’m thinking about enlarging the holes, don’t know if that will help. I have a diva size 1, which I know is long, but I don’t want to look for a shorter cup because I think it will just ride up around my dangly cervix and then I won’t be able to reach it and will get bad capacity. I thought about trying one with a smaller rim diameter, but it would have to be much smaller, and then I would worry it wouldn’t be gripped by the vaginal walls well enough to prevent leaks.

TL;DR here are my questions:If you have a dangly cervix that hangs down into the cup, how do you break the seal?Any dangly cervix people with IUDs? Could my cervix position make an IUD and a cup a bad combination?Will enlarging the holes on my cup mean I can get away with not “breaking the seal” as long as I pull slowly?Is there any possibility that using my cup, or maybe using it carelessly, could be pulling my cervix farther down?What should I look for if I want a cup that my cervix will not hang out inside of?

I thought of something else: if I get a cup with short body but a long enough stem, then the only way for me to get it out would be for me to pull on the long stem until the base is reachable, correct? So basically what I'm doing now, only I would have to move it even further down before being able to squeeze the base. Does everyone do this and it's only me that worries about it?

I have a dangly cervix and an IUD (have had the IUD for almost 3 years, used a cup for 7 years, no problems so far.) Prior to the IUD, I pretty much just used to pull the stem to get it out. With the IUD, I'm fairly paranoid about breaking the suction, so here's what I do: I usually start by bearing down, grasping the stem and wiggling the cup back and forth with gentle pulling pressure, just to help it move down a little-- NOT trying to pull it out that way. Then, while still bearing down, I hold onto the stem with one hand and insert a finger with the other, and I pretty much have to hook my finger around the rim of the cup to break the seal. Once the seal is broken, I sort of punch the rim down with my finger and remove the cup.

In general, this is fairly quick and easy on heavy days when the cup is pretty full. At the end of my period, when the flow has slowed down and there's only a little blood in the cup, it can be harder to break the tension and sometimes take a few minutes of effort.

I have an IUD for almost 10 years now and started using cups 6 months ago. I wouldn't call myself an expert on the topic but I am not too concerned about using cups with an IUD. When I first got the IUD I was worried that the strings might get stuck in a tampon and I might pull it out. But that actually never happened. So I guess I am already over worrying about losing the IUD. I usually do what you do: remove the cup by gently pulling the stem of the cup until I can reach for its base. My cups always settle around my cervix too, so there is no way of breaking the seal by inserting a finger. Besides, there is no real vacuum since there are air holes in the cup. In sum, I do not worry about losing the IUD as long as I am being gentle with myself. If removing the cup hurts (pulling out an IUD by accident must hurt tremendously I imagine), just stop, relax and try again :-)

Sorry to resurrect an old thread! Relieved I'm not the only one to pull my iud out after using a cup. (Normally ok with shorty meluna. It turned out not with iud!) Did you continue using cups after & find one that worked?

Now ain't that typical haha!I am now so scared to try another I got my new iud yesterday afternoon after I pulled it out in the morning. (It surprised me it didn't hurt when I did it!) thinking I will wait until at least the next cycle to give cups another go. Definitely until I've seen the nurse or Dr and asked about string length.

The only way to avoid getting your dangly cervix in the cup would be to find a cup narrower than your cervix--which probably won't happen, because especially if you haven't been preggers, your cervix is much narrower than you think it is (I think mine is between 30-35mm across and that is quite wide--it used to get stuck inside my Lily, whose inner lip diameter is somewhere around there).

That's what I thought, and I checked size charts after posting and realized there really aren't any cups available that are narrower than 40 mm. That's ok, I like what I have and I'm going to work on being patient with removal.

my cervix is 1cm in and i still have space for squeezing the bottom of my cup. no iud though.as long as the strings are short and tucked behind/around the cervix (? at least that's what i remember reading), there's no need to worry about getting them caught, especially in such a long cup. and if they happen to be there i actually think you'll feel them? just squeeze slowly?

one more removal option is kinda rocking the cup back and forth as you slowly pull it down.

also, a stiffer cup might be less fussy. if you're open to that, a classic XL meluna can be a good option due to stiffness and a more rounded bottom. melunas have 2 holes though, i think the diva has 4? but if you do get a different cup, give it a try before getting the iud or wait until you've had a couple of cycles with the familiar cup (imo).

I still have room to squeeze the base, but that doesn't make the cup change shape enough to break the seal. What I can't do reach up and push the rim inwards, because that's where my cervix is. I had an idea that it would be better if I pushed the rim in before pulling it out, but it looks like ill need to gently pull it partway out first. I have not tried the rocking back and forth thing yet.

Yeah the diva has 4 holes, which I tried to enlarge an hour ago using a yarn needle I held over a flame, but I don't think I accomplished anything.

ah, i see, my cups are obv very short. just squeeze the base/body higher - as high as you can for now, as low as possible when you get your iud.afaiu an advantage of stiff cups is that you can press a little and it caves in.

Heat wont work to stretch silicone he way it would on regular plastics. Silicone is very resistant to heat (that's why it can withstand boiling, and why they make cooking spatulas and even bakeware put of it!). Also stretching it probably won't work because it's so flexible. I think you have to actually cut away the silicone, though I haven't tried, but my best suggestion would be a punch (or some kind of drill?).

Here's how I pulled an IUD out with a Mooncup. It was late, I was tired, I had really long strings that dangled down, and I got them caught between the sides of the cup and yanked. So then I got to meet my IUD in person. I'd used the cup with an IUD fine for years before that, and have used it fine since. I make sure the strings are a sensible length, tucked up behind my cervix, and am careful when I release the seal and don't yank. It's easier with a softer, thinner cup, I've found. Yanking an IUD out with your cup is very rare, I'm one of the unusual ones.